What I've Lost
by onel-ff
Summary: Started it as a ONE SHOT, now the start of something bigger! Thad Callahan's daughter, Natasha and how she settles into life with her Uncle TC as a guardian.
1. Chapter 1

**10:29PM**

The night shift staff were all in full swing as they attended to patients and ordered any necessary tests that would be needed to treat everyone quickly and efficiently.

TC had been in the locker room with Jordan, unbeknownst to Landry who he had in fact been seeing for the past four months.

"And do you think Tasha will mind?" Jordan asked carefully, fixing her scrub top before reaching into her locker and brushing her hair back tidily.

TC had been about to answer when his phone began to ring. Groaning he lifted it from his jean pocket and sighed. "Speak of the devil." He chuckled, lifting the phone so Jordan could see the Caller ID.

"Hadn't you better answer that?" Jordan raised an eyebrow at the man she had been secretly seeing for the past two weeks.

"She'll ring again if it's important." TC shrugged. Waving his hands in emphasis as the ringing stopped.

"You know you'd ground her if she did that to you." Jordan huffed as she fixed her scrub top.

TC smiled. "That's what makes being guardian fun."

Meanwhile, Drew had been adding to a patient's charts when his phone then started to vibrate in his pocket. Reaching into his scrubs as he noticed the caller ID flashing on the phone he had just pulled out, a huge grin appeared on his face.

"Hey Tasha. What trouble do you need your Uncle Drew to get you outta this time?" He chuckled as he attempted to balance the phone between his ear and his shoulder before he continued to update the charts.

"Drew?" The voice shaky and scared.

Drew dropped the chart as he reached his hand to the other ear, hoping to hear the young girl more clearly. "Nat? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Having served with Natasha's father and her Uncle. He had known the teen since she was 10 and had become an 'uncle' figure to the Callahan.

"Uncle D? I've done something stupid." She whispered painfully.

"Kiddo, tell me where you are? Please Tash? I need to send help." He countered quickly. All work vanished from his mind Drew rushed through the ER's halls as he hoped to find TC or someone who could organise help for the teen.

"Bluton. Party. My head hurts Uncle D, I want TC." She cried, making Drew's heart break for the teen. "He was nice." She mumbled but Drew hadn't been able to understand what she said.

"I'm getting TC now, help is coming Tash. I promise. You just gotta stay awake so we can get to you honey." Drew reassured as he tried to remain calm although he was certain that Tasha had picked up on his uncertainty.

"I know." She whispered painfully, tears clouding her vision as her eyes seemed to become more heavy. She tried to clutch onto something but she didn't do it in time, she collapsed. Her whole body collided with the floor with a huge thud, her head smacking the edge of the toilet bowl as she fell.

Drew stopped in his tracks as he heard the whisper, and then the thud. Crap.

"Nat? Natasha?" He screamed into the phone. Nothing.

Topher and TC - who had met up with the other doctor soon after leaving the locker room - were walking up towards the nurses station when they heard Drew's calls.

TC didn't have to strain his ears much to know that it was Natasha's name he was calling. It had been practically part of the night shifts vocabulary since TC started working here.

Turning to Topher he asked, his voice laced with concern. "Did he just-?"

He hadn't been able to finish his question as they were met with a frantic Drew. "TC. TC. Thank god you're here. It's Tasha."

Drew hadn't needed to say anymore. TC wasn't a doctor in that moment, he was the Uncle and Guardian of Natasha Jane Callahan, his brother's daughter.

"Is she okay?" Were his first words. TC noticed the doctors shaking hands. Seriousness or shock? He tried to work out carefully.

"She said she's done something stupid. She sounds in pain. In Bluton, a party or something." Drew babbled, his mind moving a hundred miles a minute as he tried to push away the worst case scenarios. "But TC-"

"Is that her on the phone?" He asked quickly, motioning to the cell Drew was clutching onto.

Drew didn't have time to tell TC what he heard as he snatched the phone from him. Speaking into it, hoping for a response.

"T? Tash?"

"There was a thud T, I don't- she just stopped talking." Drew admitted carefully. His palms pressed together as he made sure TC was listening.

"Bluton. Bluton. Bluton." TC muttered as he worked out where his niece was. Thinking back to the conversation he'd had with her at the start of the shift as she called him to tell him her plans - something he had enforced from the day he became her guardian - it clicked. "Okay. She said something about a party. End of year thing at Bluton, uh it's just off the highway and headed over on the 6." He relayed quickly. More to himself that anyone else.

"What do you need us to do?" Topher asked. Placing a firm hand on the Trauma doctors shoulder.

He had also been stationed with Thad and TC so it had only been natural that he knew the teenager. In that moment he couldn't help recall the first time Thad had mentioned he had a daughter. It was a shock to everyone especially when they had been shown a picture of the 7 year old at the time, he remembered the picture vividly. It was a picture that Thad kept close to him at all times, it was the picture he gave to TC in his last moments when Tasha was 13 years old. 10 years after that picture had been took, TC still kept it close.

Turning to Topher, TC began to relay instructions. "Ok. Uh I need to get there, Drew you're with me. Shit." He groaned, slamming his hand on the side of the nurses station in anger.

"Hey!" A feminine voice came out of the blue. Landry. TC's current girlfriend. "What's going on here?" She asked. Her voice worried.

"It's Natasha." Topher informed quietly. "Something's happened and we don't know what's going on."

"TC. What are you still doing here? Go. Go. I'll sort everything out here." Landry offered, knowing that if TC stayed here he'd lose his mind with worry.

TC nodded, he grabbed his jacket, the one Tasha loved to wear when she was forced to stay on shift. He picked up the med pack and rushed out of the ER, with Drew beside him they quickly moved to Drew's truck. If Tasha was injured or even concussed it would be impossible for her to climb on the back of a motorcycle.

Within no time they were on the road and heading to Bluton at 10:37 PM.

* * *

11:03PM

Drew hadn't argued when TC took the wheel of the GMC and instead prayed to god that Natasha Callahan was okay. TC made it to Bluton in record time, braking god knows how many traffic laws on the way.

With the truck carelessly parked on the side. TC jumped out, the medi pack in hand, he slammed the door shut and ran up to the house. The party seemed to be in full motion and there was no sign of Tasha anywhere.

The pair agreed to split up and look for her. Both calling the teen's name as they walked through the hundreds of drunk teens. TC couldn't help but let out a groan. He shouldn't have let her come here.

"Have you found her?" Drew shouted through the house. The house was fairly large and judging by the people they had just thrown out it was some rich kid's party.

Drew had wondered straight to the back yard whilst TC had been the one to check the inside of the house.

"Natasha!" TC called as he opened some of the closed doors upstairs. "Tasha? Come on. Where are you." He whispered to himself as he continued to peer through the doors.

It had been the second door at the back end of the landing that caught TC's eye. There was a small light reflecting under the closed door. Carefully advancing towards it TC reached out a hand and knocked on it. "Tash?"

There was no response.

TC jumped to the floor and looked under the door and that's when he saw them. Thad's dog tags. Tasha was in there.

"TC? You got her?" Drew's voice came up the stairs.

TC looked sadly at Drew. Nodding. The Trauma doctor jumped up to bounce on his heels. With an ear pressed to the door he spoke and prayed that Natasha could hear him.

"Natasha. If you can hear me I need you to move out the way. I'm gonna have to kick this door down." He said slowly. He knew the likelihood that she could hear him was slim but he had to be sure. Stepping back, TC lifted his leg, his hands placed firmly on the door frame he leant back before throwing his foot to the lock. The door slammed open quickly.

There she was.

"SHIT!" TC collapsed to his knees quickly trying for a pulse. Her breathing was shallow and her heart rate fast. "What have you gotten yourself into kid."

Drew looked at the teen in horror. His own heart plummeting as he saw the teen. 

Natasha was led on her back. Unconscious with a 3 inch gash running down the side of her head. A small line of vomit coming from the corner of her cheek. It seemed that she had managed to miraculously miss herself somehow.

"Tasha!" TC called, two hands on the side of her face as he tried to coax her awake. No luck.

Drew looked around quickly, seeing if he could see if she had taken something. Standing up he caught sight of a small red bag, he remembered the bag, Christa had bought it for Tasha for her birthday. The day had been sad, the first year without her Dad here and Christa, bless her, tried her hardest to coax any reaction from the teen all day. But unfortunately, and although Tasha adored the present, she just hadn't wanted to celebrate the day.

The contents of the bag had been scattered across the floor noticing the unlabelled orange cylinder on the floor Drew's eyes widened, picking the cylinder up he couldn't recognise the drug inside. "TC?"

Looking up at Drew, TC closed his eyes as he saw the cylinder in his hand. This could be an OD. He thought carefully to himself. TC had moved so he was behind her and able to readjust her position so she didn't choke on her vomit. "Tasha! Tasha! Wake up!" TC yelled, Drew did the same as he checked her reflexes.

Her body was sluggish. 

"We need to wake her up." Drew said as he checked Natasha's pupils. Helping TC, Drew and the Trauma doctor stood up, dragging Natasha with them.

Her legs were wobbly and she could definitely not stand up on her own. The men wrapped each of her arms around their necks, leaning her over the sink. TC quickly spun the tap on, splashing water on his niece in attempt to wake her up.

"Come on, Nat!" he yelled, "Tasha, honey, come on!"

Drew shook his head, this certainly wasn't working. Reaching his hand out he too began splashing water on the teenagers face.

Slowly, but surely Natasha's eyes fluttered open. 

"That's right, wake up, come on, good girl, come back to me!" TC said, snapping her back to reality.

"She's coming around." Drew sighed in relief although he knew she certainly wasn't over the worst of it. They had no idea what other damage had been done.

Natasha couldn't hold herself up but she felt two pairs of strong arms, her face was wet, and she felt tired. She began to feel her weight coming back to her as she tried to stand, but her body had been too weak as she collapsed, slipping through the arms of TC and Drew.

"Dizzy.." Natasha's voice was evidently full of fear as she practically gasped for breath, fighting for consciousness.

Drew moved Tasha so she lay on the floor and checked for a pulse again, still concerned for the teenager he tried his best to reassure her.

"I know, I know. It's going to be okay" Drew held out his hand before calling up at TC. "There's something in her system. Is she on anything?"

"No. Nothing at all. She uses aspirin if she gets a migraine." He explained as he began gathering all their stuff, ready to move.

Looking back at the teenager on the floor he noticed her eyes getting heavy "Stay awake kid. Rogosa was hoping you can babysit for him next week so you can't let him down. He'll have our jobs."

"What universe... you living in?" She chuckled slowly, her eyes more and more heavier.

"Okay. Tash. I'm gonna lift you up. On three? 1. 2. And 3." TC informed as he shuffled his niece into his arms, making her whimper at the movement.

"Uncle T…" She whined painfully, tears rolling down her face.

"I know honey."

* * *

 **11:47PM**

"Hey! TC, patients need to be checked in first!" Ragosa called as he followed the Trauma doctor who had a small figure draped in his arms. TC ignored the doctor as he heard his name being called, signalling the empty Trauma room.

"In here, TC." Topher called as they cleared a pathway for him and Drew who was following closely behind. They placed her on the gurney gently, stepping away as he let the doctors and nurses attaching the different machines to the limp body.

"TC." Ragosa demanded.

Angrily, TC spun around and marched towards the man. His face turning red, the smaller man backed away slightly, lifting his hands up as if they could protect him against the ex army medic. "You want me to check her in? Then fine. Here, we have Natasha Callahan, 17 years. No history or previous medical conditions. Appears to be an OD." TC snapped, his voice making a few heads turn in his direction.

Ragosa swallowed.

"Is that enough for you? Because I'd really like to treat my niece before her heart stops." Though TC's voice remained strong neither Drew nor Jordan missed the cracking at the end.

Ragosa nodded, backing away to leave the doctors treat Natasha.

"Natasha. It's Drew. Can you hear me?" He asked. Shaking his head in Jordan's direction he reached out his hand and clasped Natasha's pale one around it. "Okay, Tash. I need you to squeeze my hand as tight as you can if you can hear me."

The doctors stood in silence as they waited for a response, something, anything. There it was. Natasha's fingers wrapped around Drew's hand weakly and squeezed it as hard as she can.

"Nice one, Nat." Jordan smiled from the bottom of the bed before they all continued to work out what had happened.

"Sharp scratch Tasha, on three.. 1..2. There we go." Natasha's cry of pain sent shivers down the doctors' spines.

Weakly, Tasha reached for the oxygen mask that had been placed over her face by Kenny. Pulling it down, although only a little bit she just wanted her uncle TC to hear her. "TC?"

Hearing the small gasps beside him TC looked down and moved the oxygen mask back over Natasha's face still noticing concern etched on the teenager's face he tried his best to reassure her. "You gotta keep this on, okay?" TC instructed carefully.

He could hear his niece attempt to say something but the noise was too loud for him to hear. Lowering himself so his ear was close enough to hear her mutter, "Sorry." TC was ready to argue but the jolt he received meant it was impossible.

"She's having a fit." Topher called as the doctors managed to turn the teenager on her side, she was being sick which meant keeping on her back risked choking. "Have we got suction here?" He called.

"Stay with us. I'm not losing you too." TC prayed as he watched Drew administer the muscle relaxers.

Just like that, her body began to relax. Now, they needed to get whatever she had taken out of her system. "She's stable." Topher informed allowing everyone to let out the breaths they had been holding.

"Let's prep and do a stomach pump." TC instructed, now lowering Natasha's body back onto the gurney carefully. Pulling up a stool and the instrument TC began to stitch the cut on Natasha's head. He knew she'd have a frenzy when she found out he hadn't simply used butterfly stitches but at this point and at the potential risk of a head injury he didn't want her to bust the stitches.

"I'll order a CT?" Drew said from the other side of the gurney. He had managed to clear the room after they stabilized Natasha, leaving himself and TC the only ones left whilst the other doctors had either been to organise the tests they had ordered or return to the ER to treat the pile up of patients.

"Yeah." TC nodded. Drew had been about to leave when TC called him back. "Hey, Drew? Thank you."

Drew nodded.

* * *

 **12:14AM**

A tear slid down TC's face as he stitched his niece's face. She looked so fragile, her tied up hair spreading across the pillow, the blood had made it sticky but Christa had brought him a damp cloth to get most of it out.

He couldn't help but wonder how this happened. Had she done it on purpose? Did she realise what she was doing? All the questions he had were unanswerable, well until Natasha woke up. For a while he let the thoughts consume him.

"You know, blaming yourself isn't going to help anyone, especially not Natasha." Jordan's voice successfully pulled him away from the spiral he was sending himself into. "She's gonna need help TC, she's gonna need you. Don't push her away."

TC didn't speak and only nodded finishing the final stitch before cleaning up the instruments.

He looked at his niece for a moment or two, closing his eyes, he landed a soft kiss in the centre of her forehead. "I love you, Speedy."

* * *

 **1:22AM**

The faint beeping sound was all Natasha Callahan heard as she came to her senses, the monitors that recorded her heartbeat echoed in her ears. Going to move she was held during down by so strong pair of arms, as she opened her eyes she caught the tears in her uncle's eyes. Something she hadn't seen since her father's funeral.

"Uncle T?" Her voice was hoarse which had probably been caused by the tube she had to have whilst her stomach had been pumped.

TC didn't speak and reached for her hand. Bringing it to lips, he kissed it caringly. He knew if he spoke he wouldn't be able to hold his anger in but right now, she needed to be checked out. "Just gonna grab Drew, okay?"

Natasha nodded. Closing her eyes as the pain in her head was beginning to come back to her.

Her Uncle and Drew returned seconds later. Whilst TC's face betrayed no emotion, it was clear that Drew was happy as he entered with a smile beaming across his features.

"We heard our favorite patient was awake so we just had to come and see" Drew joked also leaning down to give his honorary niece a hug before turning 'doctor'.

"Uncle Drew?"

"Yes it's me, how are you feeling?" He asked gently, reaching for his stethoscope before checking Natasha's vitals.

"Stupid." She whispered. Her eyes only flicking up for a moment so she could see her Uncle TC. He was resting his back on the glass windows, his arms crossed and one hand reaching to beneath his chin which he kept rubbing every so often. It was his thoughtful face.

Tasha, knowing this was not going to end well in her favour pushed Drew away and tried to sit up but the pain that soared like fire through her body made her collapse back onto the bed with a small cry.

"Sore?" Drew asked, his eyes searing into hers with pity. He moved back to where he had been before and continued his evaluation.

"Sore." She nodded.

"Squeeze my hand as hard as you can" Will took her hand and let her press as hard as she could, satisfied he decided that there would be no need for an immediate scan and gently set her up "Let's get you up. Easy easy"

"Thank you." She whispered. "Everything hurts." She mumbled, hoping that TC wouldn't hear her. But Drew had.

"Yeah. You knocked yourself pretty clean out." Looking towards TC, Drew walked over handing him Natasha's chart. "I'll leave you two to talk." He said with a quick and reassuring glance in Tasha's direction.

TC slowly pushed himself off the wall, flicking through the notes he had in his hand, it was the tox report. "MDMA?" He observed with a questioning look. When Natasha didn't speak, TC threw the file onto the sideboard making Tasha jump. "What were you thinking?" He asked, confusion setting in.

Tears began to build in her eyes, she didn't know how to respond to her uncle. She knew she had disappointed him, she had disappointed everyone she cared about and that was hurting her.

"For the love of God please give me something here!"

She winced at the sheer disappointment in her uncle's voice unable to give him an answer he stormed out of the hospital room without another word.

* * *

 **3:05AM**

"Can I come in?" Tasha didn't need to turn her head to know it was her uncle TC. He had left two hours ago and hadn't been back since.

She had received visits from all the night shift staff over those two hours, they had all been there at one point but Drew had ushered them out shortly after 2:20AM when Tasha seemed to becoming weak and in a little pain after the constant chatter she was subjected to. After checking her vitals, Drew suggested she tried to sleep. As he had been about to leave Natasha asked Drew if he had seen her Uncle TC around, he had told her that he was busy tending to a patient. She knew that was a lie when she heard TC joking around with Topher only metres away from her room, knowing she had heard Drew looked at her sadly. Leaving her to be alone as tears trickled down her cheeks.

"Go away." Natasha turned so her back was facing her Uncle. As much as she loved her Uncle she knew he would want to talk and right now she didn't think she could do that.

When TC heard a sniff he moved forward not caring that he was probably the last person she wanted to see. He nudged Tasha's side making her allow room for him, he shifted slightly to prevent him falling off. TC noticed the tears and reached out, wiping them with his hand although she was quick to push it away from her. "Hey-hey. Don't cry. You know I love you."

"I don't deserve it." She said as she attempted to turn her back but TC stopped her. "I just needed to get away from it all"

"Away from what?" He asked, his hand running up and down her shoulder in some attempt to stop her from shaking.

"Feeling" She breathed out. "I haven't felt anything since dad died, what kind of human being does that make me? What kind of daughter isn't upset over the death of her own father. The man that treated me like an angel, he didn't bring me up to not feel anything."

"Tasha... stop." TC shook his head to stop her, hearing how the teen really felt made him question his earlier anger. "Your dad's death was a shock. Not all of us have been able to just grieve, it took me a long time" TC sighed before continuing, "Remember when you stayed with Uncle Drew, a couple of months back?"

"Yeah, you wanted some time with Jordan." Natasha couldn't help but show the slight falter in her smile, she really liked Jordan but for now TC had been seeing Landry. Granted, Tasha really liked Landry but she knew her Uncle T missed Jordan. Like many others, little did she know that they had been discussing making their relationship official.

"No. Having you around is a constant reminder of the good man your dad was. I see him in you, all the time, the kind heart and passion you inherited, it's always there."

It was Natasha's turn to shake her head "I don't deserve to be called kind-hearted, not after last night." The tears she had been holding poured down her face. "I..I..didn't know..what to .. do" She sobbed, TC pulled her into his chest, vowing to never let go.

Deep down she knew that if there was anyone in the world that she needed more than ever was her Uncle T.

"I'm sorry." Tasha knew that she had let so many people down. She let her night shift family down. She let her uncle down. And she let her dad down and in Nat's eyes that was something that couldn't be forgiven.

TC held her tight and soothed her to sleep. He had thought he felt her breathing even out but he had been mistaken when he heard a small voice.

"Uncle T?" Tasha whispered. She herself had hoped he wasn't actually asleep.

"Yeah?" He asked, looking to his niece.

"Have you got my dad's tags?" She questioned.

They had been the last thing she kept of her dad's, her Uncle TC had given them to her when they returned home with the coffin. He had debated whether or not to keep them, after all he didn't want them to be a constant reminder of the pain she would feel as she mourned his death. TC h been quick to change his mind as he recalled the times when Thad would dangle the metal tags in front of his baby daughter allowing her to reach up and grab them. That memory had been the one that encouraged TC to give Tasha, a piece of his legacy.

TC reached into his jean pocket, pulling out the metal pieces he held them above their line of sight. The pair stared at them for a few moments until Tasha's hand reached forward. Her still pale palm gently clasped onto the two tags.

That simple action had been all TC needed to know that the pair were going to be okay because even without Thad, they had each other, they had family.

* * *

 **THANK YOU FOR READING.**

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	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: Sorry for the delay in updating!

I'd like to thank 'ryrissa1993' for encouraging me to write more of this fic! An avid TC/Jordan shipper like myself, you should be sure to check out her first The Night Shift fic: 'Paralyzing Panic'. This chapter is dedicated to you to thank you for your support!

I'd also like to thank everyone who reviewed, followed and favorited on the previous chapter!

* * *

10:12PM

"Hey kiddo, thought you'd be out for the count tonight." Drew commented, shuffling through the files he was updating.

Natasha groaned. "No. Ragosa woke me up with his persistent whistling." She jumped up to the nurses station. She had been here since 8PM and fell asleep pretty much as soon as her head hit the sofa.

Looking up at the teenager Drew asked, "Have you eat anything?"

Natasha shook her head.

The doctor nodded in understanding, although mentally planning for Krista to find some food for her - she had had trouble eating since the OD but he had been slightly concerned that she was still struggling despite the incident being a week ago now.

"Erm, how's things going with Rick?" Tasha wiggled her eyebrows slightly at the thought. Drew didn't say anything, practically ignoring her but it didn't take a genius to know that she was deflecting. "You both looked cosy at the start of shift." She hummed, knowing that if Drew wasn't going to entertain her she would just have to coax it out of him herself, Krista would definitely be proud.

Drew couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "Why don't you go lie down kid? Think you're seeing things again."

"Oh funny." Nat hummed sarcastically as she watched her Uncle and Jordan make their way over to them. Her voice quieting a little. "Has he spoken to you?" When Drew looked questioningly at the Callahan she elaborated. "Uncle T, has he said anything?" She asked, a yawn evading her lips. She had barely spoken to him since the night she had been brought in and his silence was beginning to bug her.

Drew shook his head sadly. Natasha had told him about TC's lack of communication over the past few days, he really felt for the Callahan but he had already tried to encourage TC to speak with the teen. It hadn't worked.

Looking up, Natasha noticed TC and Jordan walking up to them. Jordan had been hanging around TC a lot more recently and as much as Natasha adored the doctor she had felt a little guilty on Landry who had become 'the other woman' almost. But as long as her Uncle T was happy she would never complain.

"Tasha, off." He groaned as he and Jordan approached the nurses station and shifted through the labs Kenny had just handed him. The young Callahan grumbled as she hit the floor with a thud.

Tasha sighed, even when he did speak it was no more than a few words, if she was lucky she'd get a grunt at the end of it. She chose to ignore him and instead addressed Jordan.

"Hi Jordan." Natasha smiled at the woman she had grown to love over the past few months she had been living with TC.

"What are you doing?" Jordan asked.

Natasha shifted on her heels, not really wanting to tell anyone that she hadn't felt that great. "Just needed to stretch my legs." She shrugged. "I'm gonna go find something to do." She said, another yawn escaping.

"You do that kid." TC hummed, not really paying attention.

She rolled her eyes, smiling at Jordan. "Bye Jordan. See ya later, Drew." Lifting her hand up, she gave him a quick high five before wandering back towards the break room.

"She seems to be doing better." Drew commented as soon as he saw that Natasha was out of sight. It was far from what he believed but at this point he would say anything for TC to acknowledge her.

TC chose not to answer or entertain him with a response and instead made his way back to the Trauma bays where he would continue to treat patients.

Drew looked to Jordan expectedly.

"I'll talk to him." Jordan offered before she walked away. Thinking about how she would approach the ex army medic.

* * *

12:31AM

TC and Jordan found themselves in the locker room, again. Both finding comfort in each other's hold they took a break from their shift.

"That was nice." TC grinned, eyeing the well toned body of the female doctor, his grin turning into a smile. It had been the first smile he had shared in a few days.

Jordan rolled her eyes. Standing up, she began to change, they had been gone for 30 minutes at this point and people would begin to question their absence.

"We should do this more often. I'm pretty sure it keeps me in shape." TC had been persistently talking to her until suddenly he became quieter.

Wondering what he was doing, Jordan moved over to TC's locker which had been back to back with hers. That's when she heard a small sniff from the man.

"She's grown up a lot." Jordan commented, eyeing the pictures TC was looking at.

Many people would picture TC's locker to bland with no human touch but that was far from the truth. The locker door had been decorated with numerous pictures, all either with himself, Thad or Natasha in them. The pictures had began with TC holding baby Natasha Callahan before they became varied with both pictures of himself and his niece and pictures of Thad with them too.

"How is she doing? Really?" Jordan asked, pulling her scrub top back on.

When Natasha had been brought into the ER she, alongside Drew had been the lead physicians. Jordan had been the one to find TC and Natasha curled up in her hospital bed, although heart breaking to see the pain in their features. She knew for both of them it was going to be difficult, especially since Tasha was in her senior year and would be subject to dangerous situations that could potentially land her here again. She just hoped that Natasha would learn to resist.

TC looked up from the photos and shrugged.

"TC." Jordan whined. "Have you even spoken to her about this?" She asked, her eyes full of worry. When TC didn't reply it didn't take long for her to work out that TC hadn't. "You haven't, have you?"

The doctor had been about to argue but he had been halted when Topher walked into the locker room. Sensing he had interrupted something, he quickly apologised. "Didn't mean to interrupt. Uh we've got a teen coming in, no further details yet" Topher informed quickly before backing out of the locker room again and heading over to the ER entrance as he awaited the EMS' arrival.

Topher, like Drew had served with TC on a number of tours. They had become good friends over the years.

"We'll talk about this later." Jordan said before she headed out too, followed closely by TC.

* * *

01:01AM

"Dr Zia, TC I need a hand." Jordan had already made her way to the doors and called the two doctors who had just finished treating a patient to help her.

Spotting the paramedics who rushed through the door she took the lead. "What do you have for us Gwen?"

"17-year-old male, extremely combative." The black haired paramedic informed before adding "Trashed our ambo." She grumbled.

"Do we know what he's taken?" Topher asked. He looked up at the ex medic, contemplating for a second or two before he spoke. "Hey, TC. Wanna sit this one out?" He asked his friend. It had been more of a demand rather than a request.

"I don't need to." TC retorted. He knew that Topher was only offering in fear it would bring back the images of Natasha lying in her bed, fragile and sick but this was TC's job, he had no choice but to continue.

Topher looked to Jordan, hoping that she would help. She just shrugged before diverting her attention back to the patient.

The teenager was thrashing and screaming in the doctor's faces and the doctors had all agreed to restrain the teen. Restraining him, they all continued the patient.

"Let's set up an Ativan drip, then send him for head CT." Dr Callahan ordered.

Jordan had began to intubate the young teen but had found it difficult "He's protecting his airway." On her second attempt with Topher applying pressure. "Okay, we're in."

"Send blood and urine for a tox screen." TC added from behind them.

"Copy that." Kenny nodded before heading back over to the nurses station.

"We're losing him!" Jordan screamed across the monitors making everyone turn, he had been fine two seconds ago. His heart rhythm elevating...flat lined.

TC was quick to start chest compressions. His hands pounding on the boy's chest, hoping to resuscitate the kid.

Thoughts clouded his mind. What if this was Tasha? What if she had been the one underneath his palms as he tried to keep her heart from stopping?

"TC, he's gone." Jordan laid a hand on the man's shoulder. But he didn't stop. She knew he was applying this situation to the same one he could've found himself in only a week ago.

"Come on, man." Topher said with slight force.

Slowly, TC pulled away. "Time of death: 1:17AM." He announced in defeat. With one last look to his colleagues he fled, heading in the direction of the locker room. He hadn't realised Jordan had followed behind him, as soon as he entered the room he slammed his hand on his locker in temper.

"Hey. Stop that." A voice made him jump. Jordan. "Is this about Natasha? TC you should've listened to Topher. You need to go and speak to Tasha, before this only gets worse!"

He shook his head. When he watched Jordan throw her arms up in defeat he quickly spoke up. "What do I say? What can I say?" He asked.

"Don't say anything! Just listen to her!" Jordan explained. She understood that this must have been hard on TC too but right now making sure that Natasha didn't spiral was their main priority. "You have to help her."

"She nearly got herself killed, Jordan! What if she had died? What if I'd lost the only thing I had left to remind me of that!" TC snapped. He hadn't really anticipated it but his fist connected with his locker door making it swing violently.

"TC. Stop!" Jordan warned, again.

TC collapsed to the bench. His head in his hands. "What if I can't help her, Jordan? What if I fail her, just- what if I let Thad down."

"You need to be there for her, T. She's scared, trust me, she doesn't know what you're feeling, she thinks you're angry." She said, sitting next to him on the bench.

"I'm not angry." TC couldn't help but let his voice crack. Had Natasha really thought that?

"She doesn't see it like that T, she thinks you're ignoring her. She needs to know that you're gonna be there for her, through all of this." Jordan said, seriously.

"I don't think I can do this on my own." TC admitted, sighing in defeat as a tear slid from his eye.

"You're not doing this on your own T. I'm gonna be there too." She smiled softly.

* * *

3:00AM

TC headed towards the break room just after 3AM. After speaking with Jordan earlier and losing the kid that had OD'd he knew that he couldn't ignore his niece any longer.

When he arrived outside the break room door he couldn't help it smile at the sight he was met with. Natasha reading. It was something she didn't do anymore, not since Thad had died.

Growing up, Natasha adored her reading. It had been something she used to look forward to, especially when her Dad would buy her a new book. Thad, although not academic at all, encouraged his daughter. TC often joked that turning Tasha into a 'book worm' was Thad's way of keeping his daughter away from trouble but somehow it always caught up to her.

So when TC caught sight of his niece reading, and the look of pure passion in her face as she scanned every word, all sense to the outside world gone.

Knowing that Tasha was probably too lost in her book he just watched from the opened door, his body leaning against the door frame.

He watched the peaceful look on her face as she read with conviction.

"How long have you been stood there?" His niece said, making him smile a little. He had missed hearing the unintentional challenge in her voice despite it only being a few days since he had heard it last.

"Not long." He moved to sit on the coffee table in front of the sofa. "What ya readin'?" He asked, turning his head to the right to work out what she had been reading. "Les miserables." TC noted, "The miserable ones."

Natasha turned to her Uncle, not sure his reason for being there, especially since he had been practically avoiding her all shift.

"How are you doing kid?"

The Callahan had been taken aback by the sudden concern in her Uncle's voice. "I could ask you the same question." She said, her eyes not moving from his damaged knuckles. She doubted he had hit someone, but something? That was highly likely.

TC sighed, "Tough shift." He offered as an explanation. It was clear she didn't believe him, because her eyes remained focus on the purpling hand of her uncle T. Sensing that she wasn't going to speak, he continued. "I'm not angry."

Natasha's head snapped up, shakily she asked. "You're not?"

TC smiled. "No. Just worried." He admitted, sadly.

His niece hadn't been sure what to say so instead she nodded and returned to her book. TC had been about to stand up when Natasha finally spoke up.

"It is nothing to die. It is frightful not to live." She whispered, the words flowing easily. It was a quote from the book she was reading, TC had recalled it, Jordan had read the self same book when they had been dating as interns, she still quoted her favourite parts to this day. "Dad lived, didn't he Uncle T?"

TC couldn't be sure if his niece was asking him or simply stating. "Yeah, he did honey."

"Can we go see him? After your shift? It's just I haven't been in a while and I want- I want to tell him what happened." Tasha admitted, her eyes not reaching TC's, almost like she didn't want to cause him further disappointment.

A soft and reassuring smile appeared at TC's features, leaning down he places a gentle kiss on the top of Nat's forehead. "Course we can, after breakfast? Sound good?"

"Sounds good." Natasha nodded.

* * *

 **Please review! Let me know your thoughts!**


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